Need a bit of advice with my sidemount project

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sabbath999

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Location
Edina, MO
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Here's where we are at.

Me, and my wife, are planning to take intro to cave next year, with the goal of working up to full cave in the next couple of years. We are going to be doing this slowly and gaining experience.

We are in Missouri but will be doing all our cave stuff in northern Florida (Jackson county)

After talking to Edd & Dive-aholic (who we are going to be doing our cave with) both advised that since we plan to do sidemount from the start. We plan to "upgrade" our current cavern class with additional stuff that Rob teaches that we didn't get in our original cavern class, then do intro to cave, both in sidemount.

That means we have to start working on getting our sidemount gear together so we can learn what the heck we are doing.

Basically, we are using BP/W open water rigs right now, and I don't really want to mess with any of that, I want to leave that all as it is for now, so we are talking (mostly) two complete rigs.

We are going to have to get a sidemount rig (probably Nomads), reg set ups and all the associated rigging.

We are HOPING to be able to get down to Florida in December to do some training with Rob on setting up and using backmount, so we can work on it locally over the winter and next spring and become at least not a freakshow in backmount diving.

I have no idea about the secondary lift device for when we are down there, but when diving locally we can use our drysuits, so that will work for now.

Here's my question

We need 2 sidemount rigs, regs & guages, and the strapping. I have couple LP 12o steels already, but they are not set up cave-style (yoke, not set up for cave fills, etc) but those are easy to get fixed when down in cave country. She has AL80's, and AL63's yoke. By cave training time we will have her in steels of an appropriate size.

Primary lights by then are just not going to happen (since there are two of us, that's about $3K), we are going to have to use rentals, but Edd says that's not a problem.

Since all this stuff costs money, would you:

A) Just save money like crazy, drive down to Florida and have Edd fix us up...

B) Start buying gear one bit at a time. If this, would you start with regs or with the sidemount rigs?

I don't know of anybody around here who dives sidemount, and the local dive shops all kind of break out in hives when I start talking about this stuff.

Were you me, what would you do?
 
I would wait and get set up right the first time. Buy used if possible-- two 10w hid lights should be under a grand, for example. Get advice then buy used or wait if you can't get good advice on purchases.

Definitely get practice time before starting cavern. I'm not a fan of huge gear change right before a class, it'll stress you out and make you learn less in the class.

You are going to love it but the first sm dives can feel pretty awkward.
 
Agree with JahJah that 1K should get you two 10W HIDs. Thats plenty good enough.

Dont follow why you need to get setup in backmount if you intend to dive sidemount in future.

Assuming that your SAC is equal or worse than your wifes, dont get her small tanks on the basis that she does not breath much. In an emergency her gas becomes yours. Is that extra third she has enough for you??

Check with Rob about redundant buoyancy but I would expect a drysuit is fine.

Have Fun !!
 
sabbath999
I have no idea about the secondary lift device for when we are down there, but when diving locally we can use our drysuits, so that will work for now.

Yes, it should do nicely in class as well.
 
Weigh the cost of shipping against the taxes you would pay. You could buy stuff and then exchange it at Edd's Cave Adventures when you get there. Given that you are getting a full two rigs, the cost of taxes should be way more than the shipping.

I'm just guessing . . call Edd and see what he says.
 
I would wait and have Edd set both of you up correctly the first time and probly save some money as well as the headache! I would rent cylinders untill you decide what you like......I bought some that did not work out well!
I took a sidemount class a few weeks ago and just signed up for cavern at the end of oct.
I would work on bouyancy and task loading in your current rig because an experienced eye will have you trimmed out quickly in sidemount. I was really surprised how quickly everything came together!
 
Honestly, Edd will give you tons of pointers. I think it's a bit unfair to him to buy your gear elsewhere and then bum knowledge off of him. He's more than willing to share it either way, but try to buy from whoever helps you the most. IMO that's the fair way to do things.
 
Honestly, Edd will give you tons of pointers. I think it's a bit unfair to him to buy your gear elsewhere and then bum knowledge off of him. He's more than willing to share it either way, but try to buy from whoever helps you the most. IMO that's the fair way to do things.

I must have been unclear if I gave the impression that I am going to buy my gear elsewhere. I am going to buy it from Edd, simply because he's already been greatly helpful to us so far and we've already purchased a bunch of other stuff from him. He advised me to shop around for some of the stuff (especially tanks) used.

I was a bit unclear as well, it seems... I am keeping my backmount stuff for when I dive singles, but any time I need to go with doubles I will be wanting to use sidemount. I am not wanting to do it so I can crawl through small cracks, rather, I like the other advantages like not having to lug around a set of manifold doubled steel LP120's (multiple knees surgeries make that kind of a non-starter). Additionally, I have really short arms which makes anything involving manifold isolators and valve drills/emergencies a very iffy thing for me... I would MUCH rather just reach over and twist the knob!

I am still a NOOB on drysuit diving, we bought them last winter right before she relapsed and had a bunch of major surgeries which basically killed our entire winter and spring diving season, but I will be diving a lot over the next 6 months dry so that should be mostly worked out. I MUCH prefer to dive wet where the water is warm like the springs (yeah, 68 seems pretty warm after diving around here all the time), but I understand the need for redundant buoyancy.
 
As has already been pointed out, you can get into a couple of 10watt HIDs for less than $1000. I've seen used ones being sold in the $350-400 range. And for a cavern class, you can start off with something like an Intova with a light sock (about $75) and it becomes your backup light for intro cave.

Rent tanks for now. Between me and Edd, we have everything from 60s to 120s. Once your wife finds a set that works for her, then start looking for something used. the last 2 sets of tanks I bought were $325 and $350 for 2 tanks, all in hydro.

Your dry suits will provide the redundant buoyancy. And even though 68 degrees seems warm to you, you will be shivering in wet suits after the first dive of the cavern course. I have yet to have that dive end in less than an hour. Usually, at least 2 of the 4 cavern course dives last more than an hour.

Save your money and buy the gear all together. The regs and rigs won't do you any good without the other. You'll just sit there and stare at the first one you buy wishing you had the other so you could go dive it!
 
Although you can, I don't think you'll want to stick with your wetsuit. Sure, the water is comfy (it actually varies between 68 and 72 depending on where you are) initially, but as you progress your dives will get longer as well and you'll feel the chill - drysuit is definitely superior.. without our usual thick undergarments, gloves etc, frankly, it's just as comfy as a wetsuit. And it helps you avoid the extra bulk/expense of dual bladders.

You can use yokes with sidemount - unlike backmount it actually works fine as the regs are far more protected. So you can get started now if you get the Nomads, if you have enough regs.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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